Sharing the no-fundraisiing miracle with Elder Blunck, of the Seventy

29 August 2017

Elder Blunck,

As we continue to discuss the importance of reduce and simplify in CCM trainings, you may find interesting an experience in our stake. 

In 2012, soon after I was called as stake president I suspended—over the protests of many youth leaders--all fundraising for youth summer camps. I explained to our YMYW leaders that it is the parents’ responsibility to teach children how to earn or raise money. Our responsibility, as leaders in the Church, is to teach youth the gospel and help them apply it in their lives, not help them make money.

Then I promised them that if we were to eliminate the role of leaders to help youth raise funds for summer camps and if we were to return that responsibility to the parents, the Lord would bless our stake with adequate—even overflowing--funds for all of our budget needs plus reduce the financial burden of youth summer camps on families.

Now, five years later we’ve seen the miracle.

You may find the attached two documents to be helpful validation of the principle you are teaching us.

Best wishes,

Crismon Lewis

President, Mount Hood Stake

Reaching out to two families in the midst of law suits

29 August 2017

Dear (names of a couple),

Somewhere along the way, (name) learned that you met with me about a year ago relative to the marijuana grow incident that has led to you ultimately filing a suit or suits against him and possibly some patients.

Recently, he asked to meet with me to tell his side of the story. He shared with me some of the extremely blunt text and social media messages that have gone on between you. While he didn’t directly request it, I’m certain he was hoping I could prevail on you to either back down or modify some of the litigation. 

Frankly, I don’t want to get in the middle of any litigation. But my heart breaks when a disagreement between two families in the Church and in our stake reach this level. 

Is there anything I can do to help bring about a reconciliation? Would you like to meet again? I’m not interested in getting involved in debating each side’s story or or having to take sides…I love both families equally and can hardly stand the fact that an offense has reached this level of pain and suffering for both parties.

When the Lord gives a commandment such as “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men,” (D&C 64:10) then I can’t help but want to do something to help both of you reap the blessings of fulfilling this commandment.

Is there anything I can do to help bring peace in both families? I’d welcome your counsel.

Gratefully,

Crismon Lewis

Remembering an old college friend Stephen J. Stirling

28 August 2017

Email to our family:

I happened to see a post today about pop violinist Lindsey Stirling dedicating a recent concert to her late father, Stephen J. Stirling, who passed away in January of this year.

I had a good friend at BYU my junior-senior years, who lived just down the hall in Hinckley Hall, by that name. I have thought of him often, wondering where he was and what he was doing. I once searched for him online but had forgotten the unique spelling of his last name (Stirling, not Sterling). He even came to Arizona once, soon after our missions (I believe), and just happened to attend our ward in Phoenix. It was so fun to see him again and reminisce. He was such a fun-loving guy, one you always wanted to be around because life was so full of laughs and kindness. So I hung out with him often, double dating, etc., even though he was a bit younger, that I recall.

It wasn’t until I saw this photo on Lindsey Stirling’s website that I realized her dad was my good college friend. I’m so sorry I never connected with him before he passed.

Thought you’d find interesting the connection.

Love,

Dad

Picture of my good friend Stephen with Lindsey as a little girl.

A tribute to my older brother Corwin on his 70th birthday

                                                                        14 August 2017

A TRIBUTE TO CORWIN GLENN LEWIS, MY BIG BROTHER!

It is my pleasure to pay tribute to my big brother on his 70^th birthday and his retirement from decades of devotion to his noble profession as an outstanding accountant.

I’m probably the closest person to Corwin, at least until he married Lynette, as he and I were often seen as inseparable brothers in our growing up years—almost twins. Though 14 months separated us in age, we were only one year apart in school so we shared many of the same friends, played on the same sports teams and spent years engaged in the same interests and activities.

Corwin was the ideal big brother. I’m confident the Lord knew what kind of role model I would need in my growing up years so He sent Corwin as the first boy to arrive in our family. Whatever Corwin liked, I liked. Whatever Corwin did, I did. Whatever Corwin said, I said. Whatever Corwin laughed at, I laughed at. We were not so much inseparable, I was his clone!

And what a blessing that was to me.

Corwin introduced me to the Brooklyn (later L.A.) Dodgers. We were loyal fans together, spending many a night lying on the floor in front of our large radio console in the Ajo home dining room listening to Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett make every Dodger game come alive in our young minds.

When Corwin chose to play the clarinet in the sixth grade band, I took up the clarinet when I entered the sixth grate. Later he switched to saxophone and I switched to alto clarinet.

When Corwin ran for student body treasurer his junior year and student body president his senior year at Ajo High, I clung to his coattails precisely—getting elected, I’m sure, because I was Corwin’s little brother.

When Corwin went to BYU, I followed a year later.

When Corwin went on a mission, I followed 18 months later.  When I left the Language Training Mission for Peru, Corwin—who was serving in the office of the Northern States Mission headquartered in Chicago—arranged to meet me (accompanied by his mission president, no less!) during my layover in Chicago. It would be the only time we would see each other in the four years spanning our missions.  (Yes, I later served in the office of the Andes Mission in Lima, Peru.)

Our parallel—almost identical—paths didn’t end there.

When Corwin got married in the temple to an amazing bride from an amazing family of faith, I followed by praying for and receiving an equally amazing bride from an equally remarkable family rooted deeply in the faith.

Corwin and Lynette wanted a large family, Vivienne and I wanted a large family. Both couples were richly blessed.

While our life paths, including professions, have had their share of differences, once Vivienne and I moved to Oregon in 1989 our mannerisms, interests and, to some extent, even our looks (until his hair started to turn gray and mine bald) began to mirror each other causing a double take for a variety of friends and even family members.

It should come as no surprise that our Church callings have followed an almost identical pattern, too, even though we’ve never lived in the same stake since our youth.

Not long ago we met up for a temple session. Our wives weren’t totally surprised to discover we were wearing identical ties.

Talk about a role model!

My life has been filled with joy because I followed Corwin’s example to happiness.

I will always be grateful for his steadiness in life, never getting flustered or even upset, that I recall.

His kind and gentle nature with children impressed me deeply and helped to temper my own impetuous parenting skill.

Corwin’s love for the Lord and the gospel of Jesus Christ also had an enduring impact on me. Corwin seldom, if ever, judged me, but always stayed the course of gospel faithfulness. It became the lifeline-beam that guided me to my own future of church service.

Corwin is more than my big brother. His footsteps were my footsteps. As we walked our life’s journey together—he a few steps ahead of mine—Corwin never let me down or took me astray. That’s not a role model. That’s a hero!

Happy Birthday, Corwin! Thanks for more than just great memories!

                                                                        With love, respect and admiration,

                                                                        Your little brother Crismon

Seeking the Area Seventy's counsel regarding an aspect of Church discipline

24 August 2017

Elder Blunck,

I write to seek your counsel.

My heart has been weighed down recently by a series of disciplinary councils. In the past 10 months we have had five such councils for holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood, including three high priests (including a former bishop) and a returned missionary who waited until his departure day to confess serious transgressions. Of the five, two have resulted in excommunication and three disfellowshipment. In my years of church leadership I’ve never experienced so many in such a short time. Frankly, it has been heartbreaking and wearying like no other time in my church service.

In setting forth terms for all of these brethren, in every case I have explained that they are encouraged to attend “public Church meetings” as described in Section 6 of Handbook 1, but that their participation is “limited.” As described in 6.9.2 that limited participation means they are not to offer public prayers, partake of the sacrament or sustain Church officers. I’ve also suggested that they are not to participate in class discussion.

As I follow up with these brethren, I have been touched that almost without fail they cite that one of the most painful aspects of their journey to complete and sincere repentance is the inability to participate in class discussions.

As I review the handbook, it occurs to me that I may have interpreted the spirit of “limited participation in Church public meetings” beyond the scope of the handbook instruction.

Before making an official change of direction, including notifying these brethren they are allowed to participate in class discussions, I would welcome your counsel. Do you see any problem with reversing the direction I have taken in the past?

In my opinion, here are the Pro’s and Con’s of reversing direction:

PRO: Not being allowed to participate in class discussions can make the disciplined member feel ostracized, that he has nothing of value to contribute. Moreover, teachers do not know who is under formal discipline thus creating the potential for some very awkward, even embarrassing, moments in the class when a disciplined member is called on to contribute in class discussion. Finally, non-members are allowed to speak in a Church meeting so a member under a no-participation restriction feels even less valued.

CON: Unable to participate in a class helps the disciplined member appreciate more than ever the blessing of membership and full fellowship with the Saints. Class participation heightens the risk that he will inadvertently expose his disciplined status and/or criticize priesthood leaders (though the risk is very low).

I guess as I write this it is even more obvious to me that I have been too strict in my interpretation of “limited participation in Church public meetings.” In fact, the word “limited” may be the key. If the Brethren didn’t want any participation by disciplined members, they would have said, “no participation in Church public meetings.”

Still, I will share this email with you and invite you to share any counsel on the subject or insights you may have gleaned from the Brethren. If you prefer not to comment, I will not be offended.

Thank you for listening,

Crismon Lewis

President, Mount Hood Stake

Appeal for single sisters along with senior couples to serve full-time missions

Email to Stake Presidency, Aug 8, 2017

Brethren,

You can read the emails below. It reminds me that in all of our efforts to encourage senior couples to serve full-time missions, we may have many single sisters who could and would serve if we only asked them. As you can see, Keli (I home teach her…so I’m very ashamed to say I never approached her about serving a mission) she was waiting for someone to “call” her.

I was so grateful she spoke up at dinner last night. And thankfully she went home last night and didn’t think, “What did I just say?” but her excitement just continued to grow. 

Will you please help me communicate to our stake that the Lord desires more senior members (only couples and sisters are eligible) to serve full-time missions? Just as we expect the wards to willingly to “give up" members to serve in stake leadership positions, I want us to demonstrate the same spirit of freely “giving” by encouraging more and more seniors to serve full-time or church-service missions regardless of their church position. (The Chuck Allens and Scott Hansens were especially good examples of this.)

I welcome all of us prayerfully considering members of our stake to recommend to bishops and branch presidents to help every adult member set a date as to when they plan to serve.

I also encourage all of us in our interviews that we plant a “seed” in everyone’s heart and encourage them to set a date…and, if older, consider serving now.

Thank you,

Crismon

Bishop May,

We had the privilege of having Keli Lowe in our home for dinner along with four missionaries. She shared how much she has wanted to serve a mission “now or in the future, it doesn’t matter.” She just was waiting for someone to “call” her :)

Will you please open an online file for her immediately and instruct her how to begin completing the missionary recommendation? 

Her preference is a humanitarian mission, but she noticed online last night that apparently only couples are called to the humanitarian effort.

What a wonderful blessing this will be for her and our stake!

Gratefully,

PrL

Dear Sister Keli,

Thank you so much for desiring to serve…wherever and in whatever capacity. We have a single sister in our stake now serving at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii and she’s loving it so much (who wouldn’t :) she asked to extend her mission. I think you’ll find you’ll be very pleased with the call you receive, though I will still put in my comments that you desire to serve in a humanitarian service, if possible.

I’ll ask Bishop May immediately to open a file online for you. Then when you log into www.lds.org you can begin to fill out the recommendation form. It’s a very friendly application and once completed, you’ll interview with the bishop and then myself. 

We look forward to helping you on this journey. Congratulations and thank you for your example to others in our stake!

President Lewis

Hello President Lewis,

So, after sharing with you the greatest desire of my heart last night about serving a mission. I came home and looked up mission opportunities for single sisters. The church has no humanitarian, or proselyting missions available to single sisters, which is a real bummer. But I still want to go. Where do I start?

Keli

Statement given prior to "early" reorganization of the Sandy River Ward Bishopric

Sandy River Ward, August 6, 2017

Brothers and Sisters,

On occasion personal circumstances make it challenging for us to serve in Church callings that are especially demanding.

After prayerful deliberation and in consultation with Bishop Dickinson, the Stake Presidency recently submitted a recommendation to the First Presidency. That recommendation was accepted and we have been directed to reorganize the bishopric of the Sandy River Ward.

We realize this is unusual to reorganize a bishopric after 13 months of service. Out of respect and love for Bishop Dickinson and his family we ask that you not speculate or pry as to the personal challenges or reasons leading to this action.

Bishop Dickinson and his counselors have served you well. There are very few leaders who have shown greater love and concern for ward members than your bishop. One of the ways we can show our gratitude is to remember Bishop Dickinson and his counselors in our prayers.

Therefore, we have released with deep appreciation…

·   Norman Dickinson – Bishop of the Sandy River Ward with

·   James Dunihoo – 1^st Counselor

·   Glen Smith – 2^nd Counselor

We invite you to join with us in expressing your gratitude for their outstanding service with the uplifted hand.

Will the following please stand?

It is proposed that we sustain…

·   Jeremy S. Kato – Bishop of the Sandy River Ward with

·   Anthony Glenn Smith - 1^st Counselor

·   Robert T. Pierce - 2^nd counselor

Those in favor may manifest by the uplifted hand.

Those opposed by the same sign.

Confidential information about an early-release of a bishop in our stake

24 July 20176

Brethren,

I realized early this morning that today is Pioneer Day in SLC. It’s a state holiday and the Church offices will be closed. So nothing we do, either on the phone or online, will be seen at Church headquarters until Tuesday. So I thought we should take one more day to think “out loud,” as well as in prayer, about the situation at hand. I’ll be as discreet as possible in case this email should ever get outside our circle.

I want to make sure I’m not overreacting to any feelings of betrayal from a dear friend, for whom I have a deep love and long friendship. Particularly was the inference, Steven, that you made during our visit last night: Is the matter so serious that the bishop needs to be released, especially so prematurely and so hastily?

You may remember, though I don’t believe you both were in the presidency at the time, I had released and had sustained a new counselor in the WH bishopric within 24-48 hours of learning that the released brother had nurtured a brief romantic relationship with a young married woman (who has since moved from the stake). They began connecting at the late-night volleyball at our stake center, then followed up with late-night visits about woes in their respective marriages and ultimately kissed. Fortunately, he went to his bishop and confessed. They were both released from their callings, he immediately and she later from her stake athletic calling. I did not take any more action, except to have the bishops counsel with them. I felt the releases, especially his so abruptly from a significant calling of trust, was adequate and appropriate as part of their repentance. Thankfully, both of their marriages appear to be happy, if not thriving, today.

After our visit last night, I was able to talk at length with the woman involved in our current concern and she corroborated what that bishop had told me. They both allowed their feelings to cross the line married couples covenant not to cross. In brief, they (1) expressed love for each other even wishing they could marry “if circumstances were different," (2) sent sexually suggestive text messages to each other, (3) spent late night hours together both in his office and once or twice in her home, (4) they had a “secret" rendezvous in a site other than his office or their home, (5) they kissed each other on two or three occasions, (6) they inappropriately caressed each other above the clothes (he 2 or 3 times, she once), and (7) they were nurturing this relationship in secret, intentionally deceiving their respective spouses.

His calling, of course, compounds the seriousness of all of this. Though not intentional or premeditated, the bishop allowed the trust that is inherent with his sacred calling to lead to an intimate relationship with a married woman in his ward. Despite the many warnings from the Spirit, he had rationalized that he was giving a young, neglected wife the care and affection she had long gone without in her marriage. He, too, with pretty much an invalid wife, had gone without affection and care from a wife. The attention of a pretty woman, who freely confided in and shared her heart with him, had become irresistible.

Fortunately, all of this came to light before it went further—something I’m personally VERY grateful for. While both had drawn a line of physical affection, the level of sexually explicit messages (“talking dirty” via messaging) was not only inappropriate but was obviously the trap Satan was setting to destroy both families and cause the excommunication of a bishop.

My feeling is that the bishop has broken trust…with the Lord, the stake presidency, the ward members, the ward leaders, himself and, especially, his wife…I feel no other recourse than to release him as quickly as possible. Our responsibility is to protect the Church—to give members assurance that we are monitoring closely and care deeply abut the trustworthiness of the bishopric and ward leadership we’ve asked them to sustain—and help all involved to repent. Having said that, I don’t believe the actions of this couple should be addressed in formal discipline at this time (assuming more damaging information does not come to light), but that rather the embarrassment of a prompt release and the spouses discovering will adequately addresses the issue and help them change course. However, if their relationship continues, after the dust has settled, then I would recommend formal discipline.

I have always found it helpful to vent my feelings in writing as a way to sort out what’s important—in hopes of not making decisions on emotion. I hope the above has been helpful to you.

I now ask that you respond with your feelings. I realize your obligation to be supportive of the stake president can temper even taint, your feelings and  reactions to all of this. But I really need your counsel. Please do not hold back. This is new territory for me, too, and I must be careful that I not allow my personal feelings create a vacuum where I do not listen to reason, or even more importantly, to the Spirit.

Are we taking the appropriate action? Are we addressing it with enough firmness and love to help save both parties and both families? How do we address it without causing widespread speculation and rumors that could lead members to lose trust in their priesthood leaders? 

Finally, if we do move forward with a quick reorganization of the bishopric, who do you feel the Lord has prepared to bring healing to the ward?

Thank you in advance for your counsel,

Crismon

Results of a meeting with a high school graduate not attending our stake's YSA branch

17 July 2017

Brethren,

In response to the weak participation of our HS graduates in the YSA branch, the stake presidency has been making outreach efforts to the 9-10 graduates who have not made any effort to attend a branch meeting or activity.

I visited with Max Lewis on Sunday. It was a very nice visit, but I sense Max is also a young man who knows how to say the right thing at the right time, but doesn’t always follow through unless his family is all in, too.

I learned Max is already 18 years of age and is about to turn 19. Bishop May did not recommend him for MP ordination simply because he (and his family) attend church so infrequently.

Other outcomes of our visit:

YSA BRANCH: Max said he would like to attend the YSA branch and has transportation. His track record in the family ward says this will be tough for him to do, but Bishop May is excited for him to attend the YSA branch in hopes that it will put him into a new environment and possibly a new level of commitment. TO DO: President Westover, will you please transfer his membership record from the WH Ward to your branch and encourage President House to get him engaged as quickly and as deeply as Max will respond to?

ELDER ORDINATION: Max said he is interested in receiving the MP. He knows he’s been less-active (along with his parents) and claims that he just doesn’t know very much about the gospel. Because he was in jazz band at school (he is a drummer), he took Seminary at home and, as you can imagine, without strong home support didn’t come close to completing the course. He does occasionally read the scriptures, has personal prayers, wants to serve a mission and have a righteous family. While he hasn’t connected the dots between righteous living now and righteous future later, at least he knows what he’d like in his future. He answered favorably to worthiness questions. TO DO: President Westover, will you or Bishop May please reach out to Max’s father, Steve Lewis (a BYU grad and RM to England), and assign him to prepare his son to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. May I suggest you assign someone as a mentor to help guide Steve in why and how to prepare his son to be ordained.

MISSION: I was pleased to hear Max say he’d like to serve a mission. There wasn’t much excitement, but I think he’d like to build on his recent Eagle award and take the “next step”—serve a mission. He said his plans are to attend MHCC for two years in video production (something he’ll use in Mom’s ad agency, Lewis Creative) and then serve a mission. When I asked why wait, he said again he doesn’t feel he knows enough about the gospel to go out and teach others. I assured him that he’s been around the church long enough to know enough…and that delaying a mission heightens the risk that he’ll get enamored by the world (including a paycheck) and never serve. He was open to discussing a mission sooner than later, though I didn’t sense a strong commitment or desire. TO DO: President Westover will you  please assign President House to work with Max and help him attend the missionary prep class and/or help the full-time missionaries connect with Max and try to get him to go on exchanges with them.

While it’s a bit discouraging that he’s a great young man and would be “all in” if only his parents led the way, at least we have a young man who has desires for the gospel in his life and future. I hope we can give special attention and help him on this journey at a crucial “crossroads moment” in his life.

Thank you,

President Lewis

An appeal to active YSA to help with the rescue of less-active YSA by participating in the Mount Hood YSA Branch

16 July 2017

TO: All Active Young Single Adults, their parents and leaders

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

One of the great concerns of Church leaders is the number of young members, when they arrive at the age of adulthood (typically high school graduation), choose the world over discipleship.

Sadly, our stake is no different. We have nearly 300 Young Single Adults (YSA) in our stake. Fewer than 25% actively participate in the church.

In an effort to address this, we established the Mount Hood YSA Branch in January 2016. We are very grateful for the young members of this branch, who have diligently tried to reach out and invite back the many less-active YSA in our stake.

However, for this effort to continue, and ultimately succeed, we need every active YSA in our stake, especially recent high school graduates, to join with us in this worthy cause to invite and encourage their less-active peers.

We invite you to review the blessings and promises of such service as described by President Gordon B. Hinckley in the manual used in our Priesthood and Relief Society classes, Chapter 14, titled “Losing Ourselves in the Service of Others.”

While Young Single Adults have a choice where to attend and serve, please know how much you are needed in the Mount Hood YSA Branch where you can play a significant role in the rescue of other Young Single Adults in our stake, even if for only a short time.

We love you and are grateful for your continuing discipleship at a time when choices become ever so crucial in the unfolding of the Lord’s Plan of Happiness in your life.

Faithfully yours,

The Stake Presidency

An appeal to bishops to encourage high school graduates to attend the Mount Hood YSA Branch

16 July 2017

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

We have been blessed by an especially large group of active LDS youth who graduated from high school this year. In fact, our records show that 31 LDS youth in our stake graduated and some 20 are active in the church. That’s the largest group of HS graduates in memory!

We appreciate your efforts to encourage these new YSA to attend the Mount Hood YSA Branch in our stake. President Westover says as many as 11 of the 20 have participated at some level, attending a sacrament meeting, a Family Home Evening or a branch activity.

They are:

Sidney Lindhorst, D

Nathan Dysart, E

Jacob Livermore, PV

Ammon Brown, SR

Katie Hokanson, SR

McKay Ivie, SR

Kelsey Perry, SR

Emmie Hansen, SR

Ezra Smith, SR

Sabrina Hokanson, TC

Porter Thomas, TC

That means nearly 50% have not responded to the out-reach efforts of the YSA Branch leadership.

We are concerned about that. We recognize that the YSA have a choice and for a variety of reasons…some of them very valid…have chosen not to attend the YSA Branch.

We have drafted the attached letter explaining how the branch is a “mission” of sorts, not just a place to “hang out" with those of their age. Our hope is that this letter will help everyone in our stake understand the reason the YSA branch was created and how very much all YSA are needed in our rescue efforts.

Will you please help communicate this to the YSA and their parents in your ward or branch? Even if they can only attend for a short time, please help the active YSA know how much they are needed to assist in the rescue of the hundreds of the less-active YSA in our stake.

Furthermore, the YSA are uniquely prepared for a life of service in the Church by receiving significant Church callings, something typically unavailable to them in a family ward or branch.

The attached letter is for you to share however you choose. We are not sending this directly to the active Young Single Adults or their parents in our stake, but are sending to you to share at your discretion. We hope that you will teach from this letter in helping all youth understand the need...their “calling,” if you will...when they become a Young Single Adult in our stake.

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency

Official announcement that full-time missionaries will text message ward council members regularly

8 July 2017

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

Will you please copy / paste the message below and send to all members of your ward/branch council or simply forward this email to them?

Please confirm when done.

Thank you,

President Lewis

TO: All Ward and Branch Council members in the Mount Hood Stake

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you so much for your continuing efforts to fulfill our Stake's Covenant Path plan—where ward leaders participate in ministering visits with the full-time missionaries on a regular basis. Attached is a 2-page document describing our Stake’s Covenant Path plan.

In our stake’s ongoing efforts to work closely with the full-time missionaries—for members and missionaries to become one, as directed by President Monson--we have asked the full-time missionaries in our stake to take our Covenant Path efforts to another level.

The full-time missionaries will now text all ward council members and ward missionaries each day—or at least once every other day—a brief message highlighting missionary progress in the ward. You will not be expected to respond to the text, but they will usually extend an invitation to us.

An example might be:

“We are teaching the Jones family tonight. Will you pray for them and us?”

Other times, they may request a response. Such as:

“Our appointments for tonight fell through. Is there someone you feel could be blessed by a visit from the missionaries this evening?”

We hope all of us will receive a text like this each Saturday:

“We’re excited our new investigators, Tom and May Brown, have committed to attend sacrament meeting tomorrow. Will you help us welcome them?”

Brothers and sisters, we hope you will not find these messages an annoyance, but an opportunity for all of us to become even more engaged in the ward or branch missionary efforts. Can you see the miracles that will come forth when we regularly join together in prayer on behalf of missionaries, members and investigators? Thankfully, technology in communication makes this possible. 

We welcome your feedback via your Ward or Branch Mission Leader as this unfolds.

Thank you again for your leadership and your willingness to participate in the Lord’s awe-inspiring Work of Salvation.

With heart-felt gratitude for your service,

The Stake Presidency

Request for feedback on an idea to accelerate ward leader involvement with the full-time missionaries' efforts

6 July 2017

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

As we continue to work toward becoming “one” with the full-time missionaries in the ward/branch missionary efforts as instructed by the Brethren...

https://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/ward-council-and-mission-leaders?lang=eng…

...I would like to suggest something more we can do. It’s like missionary work in “real time."

I have heard of the following in another mission and thought it had great value in helping ward/branch leaders (specifically, the ward/branch council) stay engaged with the full-time missionaries’ efforts…beyond a regular report in a ward council meeting. Ahem…Covenant Path on steroids? :)

Here’s how it works:

• We ask the full-time missionaries to send a regular (once a day at the most, usually once every other day) group text to all ward council members.

• The text is to be very brief (2 or 3 sentences at the most).

• The content of the text is simply to alert ward leaders of something special they can do right now to help the full-time missionaries.

• We’ll train the full-time missionaries to include an invitation to act.

• If they choose, ward/branch council members can then forward the text to their presidency and include them in the missionary effort.

• Eventually, if this is successful and not an annoyance, the text message could be broadcast to larger groups, such as quorum members or active members, who opt in because of their desire to participate in the ongoing efforts of the full-time missionaries.

Examples of messages:

We would expect text messages from the full-time missionaries like the following:

• “We are scheduled to teach the Jones family tonight. Will you pray for them and us?”

• “Our investigator Ron Smith said he’s planning to come to church tomorrow. Will you please help us welcome him?”

• “Our appointments for tonight fell through. Any suggestions of a family in our ward who could be blessed by a visit from the missionaries?”

• “We are excited about a new investigator family with 2 children ages 4 and 6. They live near Roberts and Hogan in Gresham. Can someone help us at 7pm Wednesday evening? Thanks for remembering us in your prayers.”

• “We just got a new 45-year-old male investigator. Is there a brother in the ward who can help us fellowship him?”

What is the purpose

The key is that this doesn’t become an annoyance or expense to your ward/branch leaders. But hopefully everyone will appreciate it as a way to accelerate the ward council’s involvement in the missionary efforts. There will be no requirement for ward council members to respond to the text messages. Presumably most of the messages will be a request for prayers.

Can you see, though, how it would help generate ongoing involvement of ward leaders in the full-time missionaries' efforts?

Why I Am Writing You

I am writing because I plan to introduce this to the full-time missionaries this Saturday at our monthly Stake Missionary Training. If you have any concerns,  reservations or suggestions, please speak up now. Once the full-time missionaries have been trained on Saturday morning, I will ask each of you to notify your ward/branch council members as to what they can expect and why.

Thank you very much for your consideration and feedback,

President Lewis

In response to a brother who felt he was overlooked when a new bishop was called

Brother (name),

Thank you for sharing so openly your feelings. You may find interesting that Bishop (name) was experiencing similar impressions at the same time you were.The only answer I have as to why you were both received such middle-of-the-night promptings (and maybe there were others) is that those feelings were very real and the Lord was not playing games…but His timing is not always our timing. 

I’m grateful your sadness and hurt will be short lived. I have been grateful, too, over the years that they’ve been short-lived. I can think of one calling that both my wife and I received separate similar, unmistakeable promptings about a calling that I was to receive. We seldom spoke of it, but when she mentioned it once, I replied that I thought it was meant for the next life (not knowing if there are any church callings in the next life…but if the missionary work is organized as per D&C 138, there must be some type of leadership callings there). Instead, much to my surprise, the call came nearly 30 years later.

So I know well the feelings of “why did I receive that prompting?” or “did I let the Lord down by not being worthy?” or “was I just imagining things, did my ego get the best of me?”

I hope this is somewhat helpful. Again, thank you for not letting this weigh you down or keep you from moving forward in faith. You are a man of great stature, leadership and faithfulness and the Lord will continue to honor you with the choicest of blessings and opportunities to serve Him and His children.

Crismon

Guidelines to bishops when false doctrine is taught from the pulpit or in classrooms

Bishops and Branch Presidents,

You may be aware of a buzz on social media about a 12-year-old girl, who in her ward’s testimony meeting in Utah last month, announced she was lesbian. It made the news when the mic was turned off and she was apparently told—kindly—by the presiding authority (supposedly the 1st Counselor in the stake presidency) to stop reading her written testimony. Then he asked the leader next to him (likely the bishop), to bear his testimony.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/19/us/coming-out-as-mormon-and-gay-trnd/index.html

You can see the full incident on a variety of YouTube sites, including this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7BK1ZywYH0

I’m sharing this as a timely reminder of the position we are in to protect the pulpit when we preside in all church meetings, especially testimony meetings. On the whole, we have been blessed with wonderful, uplifting and faith-filled testimonies in our stake. But there can be times when someone decides to use the “open mic” to promote an agenda, as was this case in Utah.

Hindsight is always 20/20. You have to feel for the priesthood leaders, who obviously were blindsided by what appears to be a “set up” of sorts (why else would someone have been making a video of it?). We’ll all likely have differing opinions as to how priesthood leaders should have handled this. 

It’s a timely reminder for all of us that Handbook 2, 5.5.1 states that the bishopric “direct(s) the ward council’s efforts to ensure that teaching in the ward is edifying and doctrinally correct."

May I use this incident as a reminder to all of us that one of the "unwritten rules" in addressing these awkward situations, in my opinion, is two-fold: 

1. When someone teaches false or misleading doctrine it should be corrected by the presiding authority as soon as possible in the same meeting or soon thereafter.

2. When someone abuses the privilege of speaking or teaching, either over the pulpit or in a classroom, such as telling inappropriate stories or “faith-promoting rumors,” dominating the meeting or discussion, taking the meeting or classroom in an inappropriate direction, etc. we should take the person aside later and teach them privately as to what is and isn’t appropriate in church meetings.

If you find yourself in a similar situation as what happened in Utah (and the possibility increases as activist groups become more vocal) my recommendation is that:

• You NOT turn off the mic or stop them, to avoid confrontation, unless the person is violent, belligerent or you think it’s going to go on and on;

• Then the presiding authority stand and offer, as kindly as possible, a testimony explaining the correct doctrine (President Boyd K. Packer was famous for saying something like, “I’m sure Brother (so-and-so) meant to say…”) and reminding members of the purpose of a testimony meeting and what is an appropriate testimony;

• When it appears the person is going to go on-and-on or the person is declaring wildly false doctrine, then it may be appropriate (as the Spirit prompts) for the presiding authority to stand up next to the person at the pulpit and simply remind him or her and everyone in the audience that an appropriate testimony is to include bearing a personal witness that Jesus Christ is our Savior and other truths that have been taught by the prophets, both ancient and modern.

I remind you that the safety guidelines from the Church states that when a vocal intruder tries to disrupt the meeting (like walking down the aisle yelling), the presiding authority may simply stand and close the meeting, asking everyone to return home immediately. It does happen. There was just such an incident a few months ago in the Gresham Stake.

Brethren, I don’t pretend to have all the answers. Feel free to reply to myself, to the presidency or to ALL if you feel to offer additional insights or suggestions on how presiding authorities should handle these awkward, even delicate, situations.

Thank you for your faithful service and your willingness to protect the pulpit while kindly encouraging and teaching members how not to abuse the sacred privilege of speaking freely in Lord’s true church.

President Lewis

The role of senior adults in a YSA Ward or Branch

Email sent to the Mount Hood YSA Branch President Trent Westover about the role of senior adults assigned to or visiting a Young Single Adult Ward or Branch.


13 June 2017

President Westover,

With the change happening in your branch presidency this Sunday, this may be a good time to privately or quietly visit with the senior adults attending your branch and helping them to understand their role.

In my opinion, senior adults have somewhat of a delicate balance to maintain in a YSA branch—be engaged yet not dominate, serve yet not take away service opportunities from the young branch members.

As we’ve visited your branch, we have noticed that there are some senior adults who, in their eagerness to “mentor” young people, have a tendency to dominate the discussion in gospel classes. It’s all well-intentioned, breaking the awkward silence for the teachers or wanting to share the depth of their gospel understanding, but it also denies the young people the opportunity to grow through participation in gospel discussions.

I’m taking the liberty of sharing below an email I felt I needed to send to all the senior adults attending the Mount Hood YSA Ward when I was bishop…when we struggled with the same problem of senior adults answering questions in the classroom too quickly and too often.

Please don’t forward this to others, but feel free to draw from it, if you feel of value, to help teach the senior adults in your branch to understand their proper role in a YSA unit. We leave it totally to your discretion if you choose to even address the matter quietly with the senior adults attending your branch.

I hope this is helpful,

President Lewis

19 February 2011

To: All "senior adults" who attend or visit the Mt Hood YSA Ward

Dear wonderful leaders, wives and visitors...

Thank you for being a part of our ward when you attend or visit. Your wisdom and experience are invaluable to our young members.

You may have noticed that we have some what of an "experiment" going on the Mt Hood YSA Ward. We are working hard to create an environment of love, acceptance, testimony-building, gospel-learning...an experience that will sink deep into these young members' hearts and sustain them through the coming years ultimately resulting in families of righteousness.

You've noticed in our temple experience that two of the Lord's most effective teaching tools are: (1) gospel learning under the influence of the Holy Ghost; and (2) participatory learning. Consequently, our greatest desire, as a bishopric, is to create an environment in the ward where the Spirit of the Lord is manifest in abundance and where every young person becomes involved in the gospel-learning process.

To that end...

...the bishopric (and other senior adults) seldom speak in sacrament meeting so every young member of the ward has an opportunity to speak and pray at least once a year;

...ALL ward callings, except for the bishop and his counselors, are filled by young single adults (we ask senior adults to accept shadow, advisory assignments only);

...we have at least 7 Sunday School classes, all taught by YSA who rotate in and out relatively often in hopes every member of the ward eventually has an opportunity to teach the gospel in a classroom setting;

...our Sunday School classes are purposely small so every member, arranged in a semi-circle, will be encouraged to become involved in the classroom discussion and have the opportunity to speak by the power of the Holy Ghost as they share feelings in the classroom.

Again, we are so grateful to have you wonderful senior adults attend with us. We especially appreciate it when you are slow to answer questions in the classroom. Silence in the classroom can be golden. It can help teachers learn how to ask better questions (feeling questions instead of knowledge questions) and/or learn to call on students by name to respond instead of asking for volunteers. Silence can help students begin to ponder and internalize the questions. It can help students seek for guidance on how the question applies to them and how they might respond.

So we appreciate very much when you do not dominate discussions or answer questions quickly so the teachers will not look to you for answers and the students will take "ownership" of  the discussion.

As senior adults, there are a number of things we CAN DO in the classroom to help enhance the young people's participatory learning experience:

1. If the teacher does not validate each comment with a "thank you" or "that's great insight" then we encourage you to quietly, but clearly, give some type of audible or body-language appreciation or encouragement that the comment just shared was worthwhile and welcomed (nothing encourages future participation in a discussion more than validation from someone else that a comment was heard and appreciated);

2. When the teacher is struggling to engender student participation, we can ask feeling questions that will help open up a discussion in the classroom; it's appropriate to encourage the teacher NOT to answer your question but turn to the class for responses;

3. We can share our scriptures or manuals with those who may have forgotten to bring them to class;

4. If the class discussion begins to go sideways into the "mysteries," we can help bring the class discussion back to the manual by asking appropriate questions.

5. We can silently pray for a teacher who is struggling...or for a student who is not participating;

6. We can reference a scripture or two that may encourage the class to follow your lead and seek answers to the teacher's questions in the scriptures;

7. After the class we can shake everyone's hand, especially the teacher, and express our appreciation for their comments or lesson.

Thank you again for the wonderful contribution you make in our ward by accepting a shadow role, quietly blessing these marvelous young people through your examples of gospel love and example.

Gratefully,

Bishop Lewis

Trying to resolve an impasse in feelings of a wife whose husband was subject to a disciplinary council and the outcome, in her opinion, was not harsh enough

7 June 2017

Thank you for being candid and helping me to understand your feelings. And thank you for asking the question, “Do I sustain my priesthood leaders?”

A week or so ago, Vivienne and I attended a middle school play of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Our grandson was the tailor :) We heard again, although pretty amateurish, Tevye and Golda sing “Do you love me?” It is a delight to see how, in their reflective mood, they discover they really do love each other even though they had seldom, if ever, expressed it.

I think sometimes our sustaining of leaders is like that. We have a way of overlooking the faults and weaknesses of leaders and realize our life was full of sustaining Church leaders because we love and sustain God.

So do you sustain your leaders? I encourage you to answer these questions:

If your bishop or one of his counselors asked you to speak in sacrament meeting, would you accept?

If you were not in a stake calling and your bishop or one of his counselors asked you to teach a Sunday School or Primary class, would you accept?

If your bishop or one of his counselors asked you to take a meal to a sister who just had a baby, would you do it?

If your bishop or one of his counselors asked you to help financially support yet another missionary because his family couldn’t afford to fully support him, would you contribute?

If your bishop or one of his counselors asked you to participate in a community service project, would you go?

I can’t imagine you couldn’t answer yes to all of the questions above. Your are that good and that faithful.

You would do it NOT because they're amazing, wonderful men in the bishopric, but because you know and love the Lord…and you believe He directs this Church through prophets and priesthood leaders. So while local leaders (and sometimes even general Church leaders) may make mistakes, you trust that the Lord will “fix” their errors (“stand behind them”) over time. In my years in the Church, I have noticed He does that in a number of ways: (1) the leaders are released; (2) the Lord brings to their attention the error of their ways; (3) the Lord softens the hearts of those who were offended or harmed by their decisions and turns the wrong into a right….often a valuable life lesson that becomes a blessing in the life of that person; (4) He brings healing, if not resolution, over time. I’m sure there are other ways, too.

I hope this is helpful. Please consider renewing your recommend right away. In my opinion, you sustain your leaders…and therefore, should not go a day without that cherished temple recommend!

Crismon

6 June 2017

Thank you. 

Therefore, can you not in good conscience answer the temple recommend question that you do sustain local priesthood leaders? In other words, you do sustain your leaders…you don’t agree with them 100% of the time and you;re confused sometimes by their choices or even their words (maybe even teachings), but  you still can raise your hand in a sustaining vote because you know this is the Lord’s true Church and, whether or not we like them or agree with them, the local priesthood leaders are His representatives in that true Church, even though they may be weak, mistake-prone, insensitive, and maybe even misguided at times. But still they are His representatives and you trust that, in the end, the Lord will stand behind those leaders and resolve all unresolved challenges and even the mistakes that they may have created in your life.

In my opinion you sustain your local priesthood leaders, even though you have concerns and questions. Therefore, my recommendation is that we move forward on a temple recommend renewal and take it out of the equation and discussion so you aren’t feeling pressure or worrisome that you may say or do something that could deny you a recommend, which you cherish very much.

Once your temple recommend has been renewed, then let’s schedule in July or maybe even later, if you think time would help bring healing in the matter, when the three of us (as you suggested) can sit down and discuss this further. Of course, if you prefer to address this sooner to bring peace sooner, then we can meet as soon as you’re available and Bishop Miller has returned.

Would that be OK?

Thanks for considering,

PrL

I guess I felt reflective and was trying to be honest with my feelings in the temple recommend interview which was probably not the case at ward conference.  Sustained them in ward conference more out of habit I suppose without thinking about how I really felt.  It certainly feels in my heart like I am struggling with sustaining my local leaders.  Really what does that entail? What does it look like?  You have shared some things that maybe it is not..agreeing with them, may not personally like them etc which is helpful.  I do trust that the Lord will resolve mistakes that they may have created in my life, but what do you mean when you say “the Lord will stand behind those leaders”? What does sustaining someone truly look like?

I do feel I need to be able to attend the temple.  I do cherish that privilege, but I am certainly not going to try and justify my feelings to be able to do so.  Maybe a clearer understanding of what it means to "sustain" would be helpful. I haven’t done much in the way of studying that on my own yet as I really only recently started questioning my honesty with the question. It has not ever been a question of doubt for me before.

Much thanks,

Sister (Name)

5 June 2017

Sister (name),

Thank you for getting back to me.

When does your current temple recommend expire?

Are you willing to meet with me, Bishop (name) and (husband) upon the Bishop’s return in mid-June or do you feel you need more time to work this though in your own mind and heart?

If the former (meet with us), have you given consideration what we might do or say that would help lessen your pain?

If the latter (more time), do you have any feeling as to how long that might take?

Please know how deeply we feel over the feelings we’ve unwittingly and unintentionally caused in your heart. You were the “victim,” yet you continue to suffer, for which we sorrow greatly. We had no idea it would cause such feelings in your heart. I don’t know if anything would have been done differently had we known, but hopefully we would have tried to better address your feelings before moving forward. For such insensitivity on our part, we beg your forgiveness.

We would welcome any thoughts on what we might do at this point to bring peace to your heart. 

As I’ve expressed earlier, we feel correct procedures were taken in (husband)’s case and I know the Bishop tried very much to follow the Spirit in how to put your husband on the path to full and complete repentance. For clarification, in my opinion, the role of priesthood leaders is not to declare he is forgiven, but to put him on the path of repentance (after a sincere demonstration of a changing heart) so he can ultimately enjoy peace and joy again as he works to restore trust with you and the Lord. If we failed in this, again please forgive us. But we REALLY tried to do what is right and in the right way.

Priesthood leaders are not infallible, as you know. All we can do is do our very best to be in tune and follow the promptings we receive. Sometimes we don’t receive strong, compelling direction from the Lord. We then listen for the subtle manifestations of peace; I call it a “settled feeling” among those on the council after sincere and deep deliberation and prayer. 

After all of that, we must rely on the Lord to either validate our action through the resultant “fruit” in the life of the person repenting or to have presented to us evidence from the Lord or others that we made a mistake and must correct our mistake, including possibly revisiting the decision. The latter has not happened in (husband)’s case, as far as I know.

If you have additional evidence that (husband) is truly not walking the path to complete repentance, then it wold be good for all of us to visit, as you suggested. But it does mean you must decide if it is proper for you to place yourself in a position of being his judge, which carries a heavy responsibility, even burden, whenever any of us choose—or are placed in a position--to judge another.

From our perspective, we plead with you that you not seek to judge him (as to whether he’s repenting at the pace or in the ways you feel is needed), but help him. He needs your help. His ward calling, access to the Holy Ghost, the temple, his personal scripture study and prayer, and the family’s forgiveness are all “tools” the Lord uses to help bring about the change of heart that (husband) desires and needs to be trusted again by you, priesthood leaders and the Lord.

It is important to me that we resolve this, if possible, soon so (1) you can feel joy and peace again in your marriage and family, and (2) so you can continue to be the role model for the young women in our stake by holding a current temple recommend.

I look forward to receiving answers to the above questions and your counsel as to how we proceed from here.

Gratefully,

President Lewis

P.S. I sincerely hope I have not said anything above that is offensive or insensitive. I suppose you and I have had this conversation before. And it seems we’re at some type of impasse. I really do want to help you feel peace again and welcome your thoughts on what we might do to resolve this.

President Lewis

I am glad he called someone.  His demeanor indicated that he was issuing something that he felt uncomfortable doing.  I told him it would be okay with me to wait until he talked to someone, however he ultimately went ahead and issued it.  Honestly, I wouldn’t have known what to do either.

I am sure that he indicated that I was struggling with sustaining my local authorities.  That answer will not change as I am figuring out how to resolve that in my heart when I have been so deeply hurt (unintentionally I realize) by those involved in Ralph’s disciplinary counsel.  

Yes, it would be more comfortable for you to conduct my temple recommend interview, however if issues of my feelings need to be resolved before one is issued, I am not prepared to do that at this time.  For that I will probably need to meet together with (husband), you and Bishop Miller when I am ready or allow enough time to pass and through continued prayer hope that the pain will lesson.  If we can conclude the temple recommend interview process without discussing the disciplinary issues, than I can meet on Thursday evening or Sunday after church, otherwise it will be July before I can schedule something.

Sister (Name)

Sister (name),

I visited with briefly with (bishop's counselor) and he wasn’t real sure what to do when he conducted his interview with you for your temple recommend renewal. I’m glad he signed it.

Would you not mind meeting with me for an interview to complete your recommend?

I’ll do my best to accommodate your schedule. You can either respond to this email with a couple of days/times that work for you or schedule though Brother Allen.

Thanks,

Pres Lewis